Scooter size advice

[leisa]

I would appreciate any thoughts on the length, heaviness, height of a 250cc or higher. I presently have a Tank 150 Touring that runs fine, but I want a bit more "get up and go." I live around some pretty good size hills. I am a female 5'1 and weigh 145-150. I can handle my Tank with no problems and can pick it up if it is down (don't ask), but I can't sit flat foot. Would anyone have an opinion on whether you think I could handle a say a 250 Honda Helix, a 400 Burgman, or maybe a 400 Majesty.

Thanks for any tips or thoughts.

[Aaron]

leisa the Helix has a very low seat height and is a good reliable machine that has decent power. The sportier 250's tend to have normal seat heights but really wide seats so they are hard for shorter people to flat foot at the light. You might consider a machine like the Pegasus 150cc it makes more power than an air cooled GY6 like your Tank and has a top speed of 69 mph with Lee(Dawg) on it. I think he weighs quite a bit more than you!

Aaron

[scooterlizard]

Leisa,

I am 5'5" and about the same weight. I ride a majesty(400cc). you may want to try something in the 250 class before you jump to the big scoots. handling characteristics change as the bikes get bigger. seat heights are slightly higher as well. When I went looking for a new ride, looked at the weight of the bike, seat height, fuel capacity, fuel milage, storage capacity, if it had a high enough windshield. does it feel topheavy when you stand it up while sitting on it, is it easy to maintain and get parts for if needed. If the dealer will let you test drive it, go for it.

Don't feel bad about the tippy-toe thing I have the same problem with majesty, but that's a minor thing for me. the morphous or helix may be a good start for you. If you are wondering how long I have been riding bikes, 27 years, and yes I have hit trees, cars, been hit by cars and few other dumb events I would not rather discuss. Key thing is that if are you comfortable with bike when you ride then that is the bike to stay with.

[monty57]

leisa

I have been riding since I was 13 years old and I have a lot of grey hair at this point. My advice is go for the bigger scoot and of the ones mentioned I like the Yamaha Majesty the best. You will find the larger scoots are more stable and ride much nicer than the lighter ones and as you already know keeping it upright is just a matter of balance. It has plenty of power and delivers it smoothly. If I could justify the cost in my mind for the little amount of riding I get to do, one would be in my garage right now.

As far as you size, I am 5-10 but in my much younger days I did not tip the 100 lb scale until I was 21 years old and by then I was riding 750's. So go for the gusto and get the biggest scoot your budget will allow and I think you will do fine and be much happier in the long run. And if my expereince with Yamaha is any indicator that will be a very, very long and trouble free run.

By the welcome, welcome to the pound!

[WarrenS]

The Helix is the best for comfort and low seat height. There are also Helix clones such as the Qlink Commuter or the CFMoto Fashion. If you go for a 400, which is probably more than you need unless you spend a lot of time on the highway, the Burgman has a lower seat and has indentions in the floorboards where you put your feet down. This makes it more short person friendly than the Majesty. Because the Helix has been around for so long there is a lot of aftermarket stuff for it.

[flhtri]

I might suggest a Sym GTS250. Went thru all the comparisons of size between Bandit,Burgman<reflex etc. Decided Sym would be best as I did not want to get any bigger than necessary.I have been on a Matric 150 and I ride a Harley Bagger. I neede a little more in a scooter . Just got my Sym today so I cant report much Except quality ,fit and finish appear to be excellent. I am 5'9" and can flat foot easily as there are dihed out areas in the floorboards where your legs go.Also feels to have a low center of gravity.

[Jacine]

I still think the inability to be able to flat foot a bike is the cause of a lot of accidents. I need a seat height of 28" or less to be able to ride properly. In the scooter line with a few ccs. that's a Honda Helix, Yamaha Morpheus, Burgman 400. MC style thats the CFMOTO/ Qlink V3 and V5.

Part of being able to handle a bike properly is to be able to bring it to a stop on uneven oil slicked ground, otherwise over you go.

[Gary]

Leisa,
I'm height constrained (5'6") with short legs. Went from a pretty light Tank Urban Sporty 150 to a Viva 250 Tourer (Honda Helix clone I think) and found it to be a pretty big jump - not so much in riding, but in moving it around in the garage, parking, and getting it up on the center stand. All this is old hat now, but given your size and weight, the jump to a 400 could be tough. Clearly you ant to test one before you buy it.

I'm pretty satisfied with the oomph of my 250. On city streets there is never any issue of holding up traffic even up and down the canyons we have here (as there was with the 150). The 250 is also OK for short sprints on the freeway - basically from one exit to the next or so. I ca keep up with traffic (in the slow lane) but just barely, and the ride is less than ideal. But it works OK. If you need to do more freeway driving than that, I'd say go 400, but again, that might be a load.
Cheers,
Gary

[johnnyscoots]

Hi Leisa!

The Helix and Burgman come to mind, as well as the Reflex. I believe that the Burgie has the lowest seat, but it's a tad over 400 lbs. The Majesty also has a lowish seat height, but it's about the same weight as the Burgie. Try em all, and if it fits, and you feel comfortable and confident on it, buy it. If you do go with one of the bigger (over 250cc) scoots, chances are it will be the last scoot you buy.
As a former Burgie 400 rider, I can attest to how ridiculously low the seat is...I have a 33"+ inseam, and could still flat foot with the scoot on its center stand.
I own a People 250, and it has plenty of speed and highway stability, but it's 30" seat height would be difficult for shorter riders. I just wish that Yamaha and Honda would have brought their other 250's over here...

Welcome to the Pound!

John

[WarrenS]

The Helix and Morphous are lower than the Burgman. They have a more stretched out riding position. This means they also handle people with long legs. It is almost magical

[leisa]

A big thanks to all. I appreciate your helpful and knowledgeable advice and suggestions. : )

[flhtri]

Measured seat hight on my Sym 250 at 30" this is about 1" taller than my Harley Bagger yet I can sit flat footed on the Sym and have to slide up to the tank on the Harley. I would assume from this that seat height will not tell you what you need to know. You really need to sit on the bike as how wide thescoot is between your legs seems to be more important than seat height.

[aristide1]

Leisa (neat spelling),

I have the same issues and have done research and tried scoots on my own. Here's a list of seats heights.

motorcycles.about.com/library/FAQs/blseatheights_scoot.htm

Height is only part of the equation. Wide seats mean you don't exactly stand straight up, they can be more difficult than a narrower taller seat. But seats that are too narrow may be uncomfotable to sit on for long rides. You need to try them out, just like (ugh!) shoes.

I sat very comfortably on the Helix but I think the Morphous is a better value for a tiny bit more. Fuel injection means the mileage on the 250cc Morphous will be in the carb-ed 150cc scoot range, while the Burgman 400 and the Majesty 400 get about 65mpg with their fuel injection and 4 valve motors. I sit well on the Burgman, the Majesty is too high. Actually some numbers (400+ pounds) scared me more than the weight itself. One dealer told me Honda made a demo tape of a smallish women (a secretary they pulled away from her desk) to step outside and pick up a Goldwing. I guess there's a right way and a wrong way for everything.

A couple of Stradas fit me despite the high seat height, one other left my feet 4 inches above the ground. No pattern at all.

What also fit nice was a Vulcan 500 (28 inch seat, well padded, 500cc twin, 432 pounds). Sorry, off topic.

Since you already have a Tank you have this other option. Go to your local motorcycle or scooter dealer. Tell them your interested in a particular model and you want to have the seat custom lowered. They should know one or two local businesses that can handle such a request. I'm sure it's going to look expensive to mod a Tank like this, but it's got to be cheaper than a new bike. Since scooters are loaded with space under the seat they should have no problem reshaping the steel to accomodate your requirements, and perhaps even improve the padding.

The only thing I think to add to all that is once I'm crazy enough to spend $5200 on a Morphous or Reflex the Burgman 400 at $5800 doesn't seem so outrageous anymore.

Please post again as I would like to know how you make out on this shared issue.

Good luck,
Aris

[aristide1]

jacine said:

I still think the inability to be able to flat foot a bike is the cause of a lot of accidents. I need a seat height of 28" or less to be able to ride properly. In the scooter line with a few ccs. that's a Honda Helix, Yamaha Morpheus, Burgman 400. MC style thats the CFMOTO/ Qlink V3 and V5.

Part of being able to handle a bike properly is to be able to bring it to a stop on uneven oil slicked ground, otherwise over you go.

I think that's why around here I see some very small women successfully ride Harleys. They can handle the weight and size because of seat heights often below 26 inches.

Edit - To be fair and honest, very small guys too.

[leisa]

Thanks for the link Aris. The reason I want a different scooter is because my Tank is not fast enough along with the seat height being just a little too high. 53 is the top speed. To get to from one side of town to the other here you have to go up some pretty good hills. By the time I get to the top, my best speed is 45 in a 55 zone. That means everyone else is going about 60.

Thanks again for everyone's advice and info.

[aristide1]

Yes a top speed in the 50's is not too good. People drive faster than that on windy 2 lane roads outside of town where the speed limit is 55. I think a minimum top speed should be around 65, which is why in NY anything under 250cc is not allowed on the highway.

From what I've read of Virago 250s and Honda Rebels they still have issues climbing hills.

[vwayne40]

I am 5' 5' and ride a Kymco people 250. It's a little tall for me but the power, quietness and large 16" wheels make it worth the effort. This is a comfortable rider for two adults at 75 mph.
Economy is good at 60mph giving about 65 mpg, with intown ridng giving 75mpg over a 1000 mile test period with occasional jumps on the freeway for 10-15 miles at 70mph during this period. On a test run at 75-80 mph for 1.5 hour round trip the bike turned in 54 mpg, topping out slightly above 80 mph and holding 80 easily.
The bike is expensive by scooter terms, but worth a test ride for any serious scooter person.

[Gary]

Wow!

[leisa]

Okay, thanks to everyone! Just to let you know, I found a 2006 Honda Helix with zero miles just waiting for me, at a dealership about 45 min. from my home. The tag read $5299 and I got it for $4900. Not really sure if this is much of a deal or not. I tried tried a Majesty and could only tippy toe. I sat on a Honda SilverWing 600 or 650 (?) and couldn't even tip toe. I had to slide to one side to put a a foot down flat. It feels great to be able to sit on the Helix with both feet flat on the ground, and it has way more "get up and go " than my 150! BUT my 150 is way "cooler" looking than the Helix! I will set about trying to sell the 150 now.
Thanks again for all the good advice!

[WarrenS]

Good luck with your Helix. I had one for 18 years and miss it. I know you will love it. There are a lot of goodies available for the Helix because it has been around for so long. Had I known about them I might not have gotten rid of mine. Here is just a sample.
www.helixparts.com/usa/index.php?cPath=45_33

[WarrenS]

In Japan the Helix, called the Fusion, is the king of the road. I think you would get a kick out of this Japanese rider on her Fusion.

How hot is this

[termite]

Those lovely legs won't look so lovely if she takes a spill. Wearing shorts on a scooter/motorcycle is a really bad idea.

[monty57]

leisa,

Congratulation on your new scoot. I hope you enjoy many happy miles of scootering. Post some pictures ASAP.

[Leader]

Leisha,

Congrats on the Helix. You will love it. You will love riding it for years and years trouble free. You will love the big trunk and the comfy chair ride.

ride safe,

[scooterlizard]

leisa,

Ya did good on that deal for a Honda, now you can take the savings and add your personal touch to it. Ride safe and keep on Scootin'.

Scooterlizard

[leisa]

Thanks everybody!!
Thanks for the link Warstein. Chrome would look very cool!

[TeamTEOR]

So when do you pick it up?
Tom

[aristide1]

warstein said:

...............

What scooter? I don't see any scooter.

[aristide1]

leisa said:

.........

Thanks again for all the good advice!

You owe it to yourself to sit on a Burgman 400.

[leisa]

I got my scoot on Saturday and have put about 100 miles on it. I love it! I will post a pict soon.